A Better Reason to Fall in Love by Marcia Lynn McClure Page B

music.”
    “Yeah,” Tabby said. “It’s really supposed to be good. Chloe’s boyfriend told me about it. He knows I like blues and jazz, and he says it’s a really cool place.”
    “When is Chloe supposed to be back from Chicago?” Jocelyn asked. “I mean, how much more training are they going to make her do?”
    “Three more weeks, I think,” Tabby said. Suddenly, she missed her sister even more than she had a moment before. Chloe had already been gone a week. Tabby wondered how Chloe would be able to stand staying in a hotel for three more weeks.
    “Did she have to do that?” Naomi asked.
    Tabby nodded. “Yeah. If she wants to make a higher pay grade, she has to.”
    “Well, if you get too lonely, maybe the Derrière-inator will come over and keep you company,” Emmy teased.
    “Maybe you’re going to find your derrière in a sling if you don’t quit teasing me,” Tabby playfully threatened.
    “I’ll quit teasing you the day I walk in the break room and find you making out with Jagger Brodie,” Emmy giggled.
    “In a sling, Emmy…I swear it,” Tabby teased.
    “Hold on!” Naomi exclaimed as they left the aquarium. “Joss…you never told us how your night with Armando the Cliff Diver ended.”
    “Oh my heck, that’s right!” Emmy added. “Joss…did he kiss you goodnight or what?”
    Tabby’s interest was piqued as well. Though visions of Jagger Brodie were still sauntering through her dreams, she truly wanted to know how Jocelyn’s date with Armando had ended.
    Jocelyn smiled. “Oh, he kissed me good night, all right.”
    “He did?” Tabby asked.
    “Oh, yes.”
    “And?” Emmy prodded.
    “And wouldn’t you like to know, Emmy?” Jocelyn teased as a triumphant smile spread across her face.
    “Joss!” Emmy said, stomping her foot like a toddler. “You have to tell us!”
    Jocelyn shrugged, playing at nonchalance. “I have a meeting in fifteen minutes. It will just have to wait until tomorrow.”
    “You are so mean sometimes,” Emmy giggled.
    Tabby’s attention was drawn to something else, however, and she didn’t hear another word of the bantering exchange between Emmy and Jocelyn.
    Jagger Brodie was walking just a ways ahead of them. Keira from accounting was with him, of course, but it was Jagger Tabby concentrated on—the way his broad shoulders rocked with the rhythm of his entirely too-cool saunter. She smiled as she realized Jagger Brodie didn’t walk. He didn’t even saunter. Jagger Brodie swaggered. It wasn’t an arrogant swagger. She doubted he was even aware he walked this way. Yet it was so perfectly cool—so swank. She frowned a moment, suddenly puzzled. He never walked this way at the office, she was certain—for she’d watched him walk as much as was physically possible from her seat at her desk. Thus, she wondered whether this was Jagger Brodie’s natural pace—this too-cool, rhythmic swagger—or was the more average manner with which he walked at the office his true stride?
    Suddenly, Tabby was all the more deliciously intrigued with Jagger Brodie, the Derrière inator. For a moment, she wished Johnny Depp really had walked through the door and into the shark tank viewing room—because she would love nothing more than to dig up the courage to find a way to actually get to know his royal hiney-ness.
    Tabby bit her lip, giggling as she whispered, “His Royal Hineyness.” Shaking her head, she breathed, “I need to get a grip.”
    “No,” Emmy said, obviously having heard Tabby’s mutterings to herself. “What you need to get is a mean lip-lock on that man up there.”
    “There’s more to life than making out in the break room,” Tabby said. “Just ask Naomi.”
    “Like what?” Emmy teased.
    Tabby shook her head as Emmy giggled, amused by her own wit.

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    The night after she’d seen Jagger Brodie at the aquarium, Tabby had difficulty finding a space of calm. She was restless—seemed unable to settle her nerves—felt fidgety